‘One Sabres player expecting to become a free agent is forward Cody McCormick, who played a physical role in Buffalo’s first-round playoff series, which it lost to Boston in April. McCormick’s agent Todd Reynolds says the Sabres have shown no interest in his client.’

‘“They told my agent they were going to take me for sure if I was still there in the third round,” Sundher said. “So they were one of the teams I imagined, and I think they’re a great fit for what I do.”’

‘It caught him a bit by surprise because the Sabres weren’t one of the few teams that had talked to him prior to the draft. But it also made sense because the Sabres need big forwards, and at 6’5”, 205 pounds he fits the bill.’

‘"I expected there to be a little more action on the trade front, and there wasn’t," Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said. "I think there’s reasons for it. I can speculate. I think that with the cap going up, with the value of draft picks, people just stayed with the draft and didn’t want to give up the picks. It really probably will play out over the month of July now."’

‘"Of course we came in looking for some forwards, but we’re real happy with what we got," Kevin Devine, Sabres director of amateur scouting, said in Staples Center. "When I went to bed last night, if somebody would have told me we got those three guys I would’ve been pretty happy. .C.C. We had them higher than they went, so it was a good day."’

‘Buffalo used the 68th overall selection Saturday in Los Angeles on the 17-year-old Gauthier-Leduc, who had 20 goals and 26 assists last season for Rouyn-Noranda in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Sabres were slated to have three picks in the third round.’

‘The Sabres talked to Pysyk only once, on Thursday afternoon, because they wanted University of Notre Dame centre Riley Sheahan. But when Sheahan went No. 21 to the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo changed gears.’

‘"Skating is such a big part of the National Hockey League today and Mark fits that," Sabres general manager Darcy Regier told NHL Radio. "Since the rule changes, mobility is a big factor. There is certainly room for a stay-at-home defenseman … but largely, it’s a skating, puck-moving game and again, Mark fits that."’

‘"He plays a quiet game, a safe game at times, and sometimes it gets lost," said Oil Kings general manager Bob Green. "One of the things about him that is underrated is his physical strength and his mental toughness. He is under-valued by people. You’ve got to see him on a daily basis to know how important he was to our team."’

‘I need to work on my shot and getting bigger, stronger, playing with a little bit more of an edge," he said. "And also foot speed. Everybody can always work on that. You never really can be satisfied with any part of your game."